The last person that needs introduction in the music industry, in Nigeria, is 2Baba (or 2face or Tuface) is a Legendary icon, and he’s the biggest thing that has ever happened to the music industry, since afro-pop came on board.
Majoring in Afro, and R&B, 2Baba is a versatile artist. Give him a Rege beat, he’d murder, hip-hop begaat, he’d murder, dancehall, afro, anything. Even shaku shaku sef. And he’s been kicking it hard, from the wayback. From the Plantashun Boiz days, to the Face 2 Face era, until now, 2Baba has never for once delivered short of expectations. He’s not even retiring!
His latest hit, “Amaka” isn’t just a good song, it’s also one of the biggest hits (and collabos) of 2018. He had new cat, Peruzzi on it, and that was psobably the best thing ever.
As usual, Mp3bullet is here with 7 Facts You Don’t Know About the popular singer.
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ETHNICITY (NOT IGBO)
Innocent Idibia sure does sound like an Igbo name, but I know you never thought the man isn’t Igbo. He’s from Benue State, and is from the minority Idoma tribe. How far is he from being an Igede man? Not too far.
Born in Jos, grew up in Lagos, the man is quite every thing you want him, to be. He even schooled in Enugu. So, practically, like my friend would say, he’s probably Igbo.
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DROP-OUT
Kanye West and Wizkid ain’t the only college dropouts, afterall. Even 2Baba didn’t complete his shot at tertiary education. Rumour has it that, at some point in time, he attended Institute of Management & Technology, in Enugu. But, before he could finish, he dropped out, to pursue music (remember Wizkid?)
In other words, we all love 2Baba, but the 43-year-old hasn’t had the opportunity of completing his tertiary education. He did have an opportunity of attending, though, then he dropped out. Guess he has no regrets!
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FATHER OF MANY NATIONS
Abraham in the bible had only two sons, but he was the “Father of many nations.” Well, that’s no record. As innocent (pun intended, of course) as 2face Idibia looks, he already has seven children. Nobody says he’s stopped trying to have more children.
However, his seven children came from four different women. His wife, Annie has only two kids with him. He actually said he wished all the children came from one woman. Don’t lose sleep about that, the man must be smoking.
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LONG CAREER
Not like you don’t know 2face has been singing for so long. It’s just that, if you’re 23, you probably don’t know he’s been singing before you were conceived. Way back, 1994, 2Face has been grinding really hard, in the industry.
What’s amazing is that, after about two and a half decades, he’s still very relevant, in the industry. Man can still make a hit, without getting the ‘old school’ tag. With tracks like “Officially Blind” and “Amaka” he still perfectly fits into today’s music industry.
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CLASSIC
2face should have plaques for a lot of records he’s holding. He’s got the best pop album ever in Africa, ask anywhere. Not only, he’s got three consecutive classic albums. Which artist doesn’t pray for that?
Starting off with 2004’s “Face 2 Face,” then to 2006’s “Grass 2 Grace,” all his body of works (aka albums) are classics. Even “The Ascension” was a big, not to talk of the International “Unstoppable!” Don’t you think he deserves that Pusha T line, “still giving you classics, that’s the only thing that dates me”?
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AWARDSSS
There are still a couple of Awards we know 2Face deserves but doesn’t have. Like, a Grammy. But all the plaques he has, I think a whole room would be filled up, if they are stored in it.
Five Headies (though Headies started after “Face 2 Face”), one World Music Award, four MTV Africa Music Awards (aka MAMA), one MOBO, one KORA, BET, to name a few. Trust me when I say, he’s a bad-ass!
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KENNIS
But none of all these feats (at least, almost none) would have been possible, if 2Baba hadn’t hook up with Kennis Music. During 2face’s prime time (look what I did there?), Kennis was the biggest thing in the industry. If you were signed to Kennis, you’re blown. That was the only way.
2Face, who at the time had a split up from Plantashun Boiz, got introduced to Kenny Ogungbe, by Eedris Abdulkareem, and was subsequently signed. Then, he was unleashed. With the help of the label, his album was pushed, and he became the 2Baba we all know today. Although, not long after he left the label to start his own imprint, Hypertek, the truth is, Kennis made him what he became. Technically.
And, yeah, technically, he’s the G.O.A.T!